The fuel supply systems of larger commercial aircraft typically incorporate a number of separate fuel tanks, to each of which various refuel/defuel lines, transfer lines, pressurization lines and vent lines are connected. Furthermore, each of these lines associated with the individual fuel tanks is respectively controlled by at least one control valve. Thus, the fuel supply system is a sophisticated arrangement of interconnected tanks and lines and the operation of the multitude of individual valves is typically managed by a computer-regulated valve control system.
Ground tests conducted on an aircraft, e.g. during the assembly or commissioning of a new aircraft, require a series of tests to check whether or not the correct control signals are being output to the actuator motors or servo-motors of the individual control valves in the fuel supply system. The control signals output to the numerous different control valves in the fuel supply system have conventionally been tested manually. This, however, is an extremely laborious and time intensive procedure which leads to longer production times and therefore increased costs.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for testing a valve control system in an aircraft fuel supply system which are simpler to implement and are optimized from a time and cost perspective.